Valve for detecting pressure differences

ABSTRACT

A valve for detecting pressure differences between two spaces one of which may be atmospheric air and which valve includes a wall opening between said spaces whereby upon an increase in pressure on the media in one space said valve will open and allow the discharge of said media through said wall opening, but when the pressure in said spaces is equal or the atmospheric pressure is greater than said wall opening is closed.

Unite States atet 11 1 Nilson 1 Oct. 21, 1975 [54] VALVE FOR DETECTINGPRESSURE 2,755,974 7/1956 Godfrey 222 494 DIFFERENCES 3,312,237 4/1967Mon et a1. 137/5253 X Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg AssistantExaminerNorman L. Stack, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ulle C. Linton[57] ABSTRACT A valve for detecting pressure differences between twospaces one of which may be atmospheric air and which valve includes awall opening between said spaces whereby upon an increase in pressure onthe media in one space said valve will open and allow the discharge ofsaid media through said wall opening, but when the pressure in saidspaces is equal or the atmospheric pressure is greater than said wallopening is closed.

12 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 21, 1975 Sheet 1 of33,913,809

V I I f I US. Patent Oct.21, 1975 Sheet 2 Of3 3,913,809

US. Patent Oct. 21, 1975 v Sheet3 of3 3,913,809

VALVE FOR DETECTING PRESSURE DIFFERENCES The present invention relatesto a valve of the kind which is arranged in the partition wall between afirst and a second space and which has the ability to react upon oranswer to the pressure differences between said spaces of which thefirst space may consist of the free air.

The primary object of the invention is to provide such a valve thatautomatically opens at a predetermined first pressure difference andcloses at a second pressure difference and at pressure equilization,respectively, and that despite of a very simple and cheap structurepermits an effective control of the above mentioned kind.

The valve may of course be utilized in a great number of applications,such as in the automatical control of flows of media in pipe systems butwill be described in connection with packages and more precisely tubesin the following description thereof.

To accomplish the objects stated above as well as further objects theinvention has the characteristics disclosed in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings exemplifying embodiments of the inventionare shown,

FIG. 1 is an end view of a tube designed in accordance with theinvention,

FIG. 2 is a section through one end of the tube according to FIG. 1 in aclosed condition,

FIG. 3 is a section similar to FIG. 2 but showing the tube in thedispensing state,

FIG. 4 is a section through one end of the tube with mounting for aclosure part,

FIG. 5 is a section according to FIG. 4 but taken perpendicular to thesection shown in FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a section taken along line 6 6 in FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a section through one end of a tube provided with a modifiedclosure,

FIG. 8 is a partial bottom view of the tube illustrated in FIG. 7 asseen from the side thereof of the tube,

FIG. 9 is a section through a modified closure part integrally formedwith the tube wall,

FIG. 10 is a section through a somewhat modified closure part having theability to suck air into the package and, finally,

FIG. 11 is a section through a part of the device of FIG. 10.

In the drawings reference numeral 1 generally designates a container,preferably a tube, made from an elastically deformable material such asa plastic material suitable for this purpose. The tube has a suitablyconical end portion 2, provided with a central dispensing opening 3. Adeformable sleeve generally designated 4 is inserted into the tube mouthprovided by opening 3 and one end of said sleeve is closed by means of abottom wall 5. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the free end of the sleeve 4may be closed by a plug 6, that serves as a so called transportationclosure. It is understood that the contents of the container is herebyeffectively prevented from exiting through the opening 3. Similarly, itis understood that the dispensing of the container contents can beaccomplished by removing plug 6 and for example, manually squeezing thetube. The pressure that the container contents exerts upon the sleeve 4results in compression of the sleeve according to FIG. 3, whereby thecontainer material is dispensed through the opening so defined. In theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1 6 the tube is divided into two spaces 8, 9,respectively, by means of a partition wall 7. This partition wall,according to FIG. 6, is thereby folded at 10 so that the wall mayconform to the deformation that the tube is given by the squeezingthereof. It may be seen that the tube as well may lack such a partitionwall and, respectively, may be provided with several such walls in casemore spaces are desired. Each space may thereby contain a specialcomponent of for example a liquid comprising several components.

In order to support the sleeve 4 in the tube mouth a U-shaped mounting11 may be provided. This mounting that is suitably integrally formedwith the tube mouth, therefor has a bottom 12 engaging the bottom of thesleeve 4 together with side guides 13a, 13b to cooperate withcorresponding guide portions of the sleeve 4. These guide portions maycomprise grooves, ridges or the like. It may be understood that the tubeclosure now described may be manufactured at very low costs and providesan extremely effective closure means and the simpliest dispensingpossible.

However, it is also possible to locate a dispensing opening 14 in theside of a tube according to FIGS. 7 8. This opening is made in thebottom of the tube and opens downwardly. The opening 14 is in FIG. 8shaped as a circular segment and communicates with cuts 15a, 15b in thetube wall. In this case the tube closure comprises a resilient tongue 16which has a curved shape, so that it normally closes the opening 14 andfor the lo cation thereof it has projecting ribs 17a, 17b to be insertedinto the cuts 15a, 15b. A pressure exerted upon the contents of thecontainer deforms the tongue according to FIG. 8, whereby a dispensingopening is formed between the tongue and the edge portion of the opening14. As may be seen in FIG. 9, the tongue may be integrally formed withthe tube bottom and forms a thin walled curved portion 18 of the same.

In the embodiments described the tube will be succesively flattenedsince air is not sucked into the same. Thus, in those cases where such aflattening can not be accepted, measures must be taken to permit such anair entrance.

FIGS. 10 11 illustrate such an embodiment. Thus, the closure part 19 hasa bottom comprising two overlapping tongues 20, 21 which will therebyact as a back valve that provides for sucking of air every time the tubeafter the squeezing step will return to the original position thereof.Reference numeral 22 in the drawing show guide ribs for the securing ofthe closure part according to the above.

As previously mentioned, the described embodiments only refer toexamples of the practical use of the invention. I-Iereby, the interiorof the package defines the first space mentioned in the preamble whilethe free air represents the second space. Since the latter in this casecomprises the atmospheric pressure it is required that the first spacehas an over pressure in order to effect dispensing. In case the valve 35, 14 17, or 19 22 is inserted between two restricted spaces dispensingfrom one to the other may naturally occur even in case the spacecorresponding to the interior of the container has for exampleatmospheric pressure provided that the space to which dispensing shalloccur has a lower pressure.

I claim:

1. Valve for detecting pressure difference between two spaces comprisinga wall separating a first space from a second space wherein one of saidspaces may be the free air, said wall having a through opening formingthe only communication between said spaces, a closure member and havinga relatively thin and resilient portion partially extending into andnormally closing said opening which in the closing position of saidclosure member portion is biassed by its resiliency to follow andsealingly contact the edge of said wall surrounding said opening, saidportion projecting also into said first space and having one surfacethereof in communication with the medium present in said first space andits opposite surface out of communication with said medium and insteadengaging the medium in said second space such that said portion may beinfluenced by the action of a pressure difference effected between saidfirst and second spaces, said portion having further a curved crosssection corresponding to the curvature of said opening with thecurvature of said portion being changed by such pressure differencethereby partly uncovering said wall opening.

2. A valve according to claim 1, characterized in that said wall definespart of a container including said first space.

3. A valve according to claim 1 wherein a tube includes said wall, saidclosure member comprises a tube shaped sleeve made from an elasticallydeformable material, one end of said sleeve being closed, said sleevebeing inserted in the opening of said wall and having a closed endlocated inside said tube, said sleeve having an open end being locatedin said wall opening, whereby the outer envelope surfaces of said sleevenormally sealingly engages the edge portion of said wall defining saidwall opening.

4. A valve according to claim 1 including a U-shaped member positionedimmediately inside said wall opening and connected to said containersand said closure part extending in said U-shaped member.

5. A valve according to claim 2 wherein a container includes said wall,said wall openings partially extending into and normally closing saidopening is in one end of said container such that a part thereof extendsin a side of said container and is open in a direction from said end,and additionally said closure part comprises a resilient tongue.

6. A valve according to claim 1 wherein a container has a bottom andsaid wall is a side wall of said container, said closure member is atongue integral with said container bottom and said wall opening is insaid container side wall.

7. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said closure member at least inthe portion thereof engaging the edge portion of said wall opening, isconvex.

8. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said closure part is a tubeshaped sleeve with a closed end of said tube shaped sleeve being shapedas a normally closed valve.

9. A valve according to claim 1 wherein, said first space comprises atleast two spaces, and an expandable partition walls separates saidspaces.

10. A valve according to claim 5, wherein said wall opening and saidclosure part have co-operating means securing said closure part inrelation to said wall opening in two preferably opposite points so thatsaid securing points will serve as support points for said closure partby the deformation thereof.

11. A valve according to claim 8, wherein said closed end of said sleevecomprises two overlapping lips.

12. A valve according to claim 8 wherein, a plug is detachably mountedon said wall opening for closing the mouth of said sleeve in order tothereby serve,

among other things, as a transportation security.

1. Valve for detecting pressure difference between two spaces comprisinga wall separating a first space from a second space wherein one of saidspaces may be the free air, said wall having a through opening formingthe only communication between said spaces, a closure member and havinga relatively thin and resilient portion partially extending into andnormally closing said opening which in the closing position of saidclosure member portion is biassed by its resilienCy to follow andsealingly contact the edge of said wall surrounding said opening, saidportion projecting also into said first space and having one surfacethereof in communication with the medium present in said first space andits opposite surface out of communication with said medium and insteadengaging the medium in said second space such that said portion may beinfluenced by the action of a pressure difference effected between saidfirst and second spaces, said portion having further a curved crosssection corresponding to the curvature of said opening with thecurvature of said portion being changed by such pressure differencethereby partly uncovering said wall opening.
 2. A valve according toclaim 1, characterized in that said wall defines part of a containerincluding said first space.
 3. A valve according to claim 1 wherein atube includes said wall, said closure member comprises a tube shapedsleeve made from an elastically deformable material, one end of saidsleeve being closed, said sleeve being inserted in the opening of saidwall and having a closed end located inside said tube, said sleevehaving an open end being located in said wall opening, whereby the outerenvelope surfaces of said sleeve normally sealingly engages the edgeportion of said wall defining said wall opening.
 4. A valve according toclaim 1 including a U-shaped member positioned immediately inside saidwall opening and connected to said containers and said closure partextending in said U-shaped member.
 5. A valve according to claim 2wherein a container includes said wall, said wall openings partiallyextending into and normally closing said opening is in one end of saidcontainer such that a part thereof extends in a side of said containerand is open in a direction from said end, and additionally said closurepart comprises a resilient tongue.
 6. A valve according to claim 1wherein a container has a bottom and said wall is a side wall of saidcontainer, said closure member is a tongue integral with said containerbottom and said wall opening is in said container side wall.
 7. A valveaccording to claim 1 wherein said closure member at least in the portionthereof engaging the edge portion of said wall opening, is convex.
 8. Avalve according to claim 1, wherein said closure part is a tube shapedsleeve with a closed end of said tube shaped sleeve being shaped as anormally closed valve.
 9. A valve according to claim 1 wherein, saidfirst space comprises at least two spaces, and an expandable partitionwalls separates said spaces.
 10. A valve according to claim 5, whereinsaid wall opening and said closure part have co-operating means securingsaid closure part in relation to said wall opening in two preferablyopposite points so that said securing points will serve as supportpoints for said closure part by the deformation thereof.
 11. A valveaccording to claim 8, wherein said closed end of said sleeve comprisestwo overlapping lips.
 12. A valve according to claim 8 wherein, a plugis detachably mounted on said wall opening for closing the mouth of saidsleeve in order to thereby serve, among other things, as atransportation security.